


Dragon Ball Legacy

by TheOneToughNerd



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-06-17 04:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15453465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOneToughNerd/pseuds/TheOneToughNerd
Summary: Dragon Ball Legacy is a fanwork inspired by the original Dragon Ball manga/anime series created by Akira Toriyama.It began in 2012 as a collection of ideas for alternate re-tellings of various specials, movies, and poorly executed story elements.Dragon Ball Legacy is a re-telling of the Dragon Ball story with several changes to its history, mechanics, and characters.The goal: to create a different yet familiar experience that fans can enjoy without feeling like they're following another recycled idea starring Goku and Vegeta.Instead, my hope is to create unique characters with distinct personalities and interactions with one another, whether they are original characters or existing ones.As the story advances and evolves, I want to present these characters, both old and new, as wholly different and genuinely interesting people to follow.Follow Jin, a Saiyan refugee raised to be the next Guardian of the Earth by the previous Guardian: Kami, a mysterious figure hailed by some as a God.Jin's attempt at a simple life is interrupted and changed forever by an alien invasion that forces him to confront his duties...and his heritage.





	1. "The Cold Invasion/Gone in a Flash"

        “I think this day is officially over.” Jin grumbled to himself as he walked along West City's crowded street. “I'm just gonna move back home and get a job at Sophie's place.” Exhausted and frustrated after having tanked another job interview, Jin walked with a noticeable slouch and an air befitting his current mood. It had been nearly a year and a half since he had left home to think about his future and, in that time, he had failed to get nearly a dozen jobs and lost half as many. Not that he really needed one; he just wanted to do something that made him feel normal. He stopped for a moment to reflect on his previous statement, picturing the girl that he had grown up with lording over him and ordering him around her family's crowded little restaurant. The thought caused him to shudder. “Okay...maybe not.” He concluded as he continued walking. West City was alive with activity, despite the figurative storm-clouds that hung over Jin's head. Crowds of people bustled along, chatting and going about their business. Cars rolled by on the streets and the traffic lights danced overhead, accompanying the drivers as they made their respective ways home at the end of the day. Taking in the sights and sounds around him, Jin smiled weakly at the thought that, though his recent days had lacked any good fortune, his life had finally begun to feel “normal”. He straightened his back and decided to find somewhere to eat before heading back to his apartment, when a loud cry suddenly rose up from the crowd:

        “Oh my god! Look! In the sky!”

        Jin looked around, trying to locate the source of the cry, and noticed a woman frantically pointing upward. He followed her finger and his eyes widened as he saw what she saw: a fleet of large aircraft were coming into view directly above the city, appearing out of thin air as if an invisible blanket were being lifted from around them.

        “What...the hell...” Jin remarked as he stood, dumbfounded, while dozens of craft descended and took up positions just above the city's tallest buildings. Instinctively, Jin tapped into his sensory abilities and searched them for signs of life, reaching out with his ki. As he searched, he began to feel a growing pressure on the back of his skull, as if something were slowly, yet urgently pressing into it. When he dared to probe deeper, the pressure grew until it became a nearly crushing sensation gripping his entire body. Shaking off the rising sense of panic in his chest, it dawned on Jin just it was that he was feeling: ki. A dense and powerful ki located at the heart of the apparent fleet, unlike anything he had ever felt before.

        “ _What is that?_ ” Jin thought to himself as he pulled his senses away from the ship, “ _What the hell is going on?_ ” Looking around, he noticed that hundreds of people, people who had been going about their business only moments before, had stopped and turned their eyes toward the sky. A voice screamed inside Jin's head, a voice that wanted him to yell for them all to run; to order them to find shelter...but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. He had trained and prepared for situations like this since he was young, but now, finally faced with something of this scale, he found himself too shaken to think straight. His training and instincts demanded that he take action, but the words of his mentor and guardian echoed in his mind: “ _Never reveal yourself._ ” That simple order was the old man's first and most absolute teaching, and Jin had done his best to follow it, with little exception.

        It only took a single moment for Jin to forsake it entirely.

        One of the ships closest to the ground fired a beam at a nearby building, blowing a large hole in its side and sending a shower of rubble toward the crowds. Jin acted quickly and instinctively, whipping his left arm outward and creating a shock-wave of energy. The blast collided with the burning concrete and twisted metal, sending it crashing harmlessly to the ground without hitting any of the people below. As quickly as he had acted, the eyes of the people were now on him. Time seemed to freeze as the people of West City noticed his presence for the first time: there stood a young man, dressed in plain clothing, his arm still outstretched and his dark hair disheveled with effort; a young man who had protected them by shooting light from his hand. While Jin and the people studied one another silently, he sensed a build-up of energy coming from the ships above. Looking up, he focused his eyes just in time to see the front-most ships discharge their weapons.

        “Oh, no you don't!” He screamed, a visible aura of white energy bursting to life around him as he flew into the air. He spread his arms and cried out, firing a wide arc of ki toward the incoming beams, causing them to explode far above their intended targets. Jin spun around and screamed to the awestruck masses, “Run away!! NOW!!” The crowd acted immediately, turning and fleeing away from the scene. Some people took the chance to take one last look at the glowing boy flying above them, but quickly continued running. Jin turned back to the ships, sensing another barrage of attacks, and began firing blasts of his own. His attacks collided with the ships closest to him, causing them to stray from their positions, some of them bursting into flames and retreating into the fleet. “I don't know who you are,” he yelled out as he continued his assault, “but, I do **not** need this shit today!”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Aboard the fleet's largest ship, a menacing figure sat upon a twisted white throne and laughed as he watched the first wave of his ships fire on the Earth city. While he enjoyed the spectacle, the invasion leader's lieutenant rushed to his side and knelt down before him. “My Lord,” he began, “it appears that one of the Earthlings has taken up arms against the fleet.”

        “And what of it, Zarbon?” The leader's tail twitched in annoyance at being disturbed by what he perceived as useless information. “What could one of these Earthlings do against a fleet of my ships? We've done our research: the majority of beings on this planet aren't even capable of sensing energy, let alone posing any real threat to even my individual soldiers.”

        “But, Lord Tundra, this one is different.” The teal-skinned humanoid insisted, his yellow eyes shifting nervously. Tundra rose from his throne, turning toward his lieutenant slowly but purposefully. His lightly armored skin glinted with the light from his observation screens, reflecting subtle mixtures of purple and blue hues. He gazed down at his loyal subordinate, his own golden eyes burning with curiosity and an emerging sense of anxiety.

        “What do you mean 'different'?” He inquired. Zarbon looked up and shook visibly under the gaze of his master. He hadn't seen Lord Tundra express genuine interest in a long time, for he had grown bored in his endeavors over the years. Tundra, initially under the command of his father to survey the war-torn Planet Vegeta, had hastily abandoned his orders to hunt down and slaughter what remained of its inhabitants; a desire fueled by his own paranoia and irrational hatred of the species. It dawned on Zarbon that perhaps this Earthling had piqued Tundra's interest because it might be exactly what he was looking for, however unlikely it seemed.

        “This one is flying my Lord.” Tundra's eyes narrowed at these words. A shiver ran through the tyrant's muscular and imposing frame as he now turned his full attention toward his lieutenant.

        “Show me.” He ordered. Zarbon nodded and quickly made his way to one of the observation screens, pulling up a virtual keyboard and typing in a few commands. An image blinked into life on the main monitor, captured by one of the ship's observatory cameras. As the picture sharpened and stabilized, it showed a figure darting between ships and firing (what appeared to be) blasts at them. Tundra's gaze fell onto the figure as he took note of its shape and the way it moved. Zarbon silently observed his master and noticed a slight smile cross his normally stoic face before it quickly faded away.

        “Well, my Lord?” He inquired softly. Tundra shook his head and made his way back to his throne.

        “Curious, indeed, Zarbon.” He replied as he returned to a seated position, “But, he has no tail. For all we know, he's simply an above-average Earthling who's decided to play 'hero'.” Zarbon's heart sank a bit at the thought that he had disappointed his master by getting his hopes up. Tundra's tail flicked as he continued to watch the figure on the screen attack and destroy his ships. He wondered if it really could be a Saiyan, but dismissed the thought. He couldn't confidently make the identification, as the inhabitants of Earth were too physically similar to his prey.

        “What would you have me do?” Zarbon asked. Tundra gave the observation screen a final glance before addressing his lieutenant.

        “Although it is interesting, it's of no real concern. I'd rather deal with the problem in the quickest manner, before things get out of hand.” Zarbon nodded in agreement and awaited the order that he knew was coming. Tundra, his curiosity waning and his boredom one again setting in, waved his hand dismissively and closed his eyes.

        “Fire the main cannon.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Jin cried out as he fired a large blast into the side of a nearby ship, blowing off one of its engines and sending it crashing into the now-abandoned city square below. In his battle-fueled adrenaline rush, he tore a ragged length of fabric from his shirt and used it to wipe the sweat from his face. Taking a brief moment to visually scan the downed ship's wreckage for signs of life, he noticed that the others had stopped firing. Jin cautiously looked around at the eerily quiet fleet and watched as they began to spread out widely, one of the larger ships making its way toward the front. Jin reached out once more with his ki and found that the presence he had felt earlier was aboard the approaching ship, but also that the other ships seemed to be shielding themselves.

        “Oh, that can't be good.” He muttered. The large ship, clearly the flagship, took up a menacing position before him. Jin raised his hand in warning, preparing a blast as he did. A low humming sound began to grow louder, originating from the flagship, and waves of heat began to flicker through the air around them. He felt a massive build-up of energy coming from the ship and instantly recognized the threat. Jin instinctively flew backwards, putting considerable distance between himself and the fleet. “Okay, then. You wanna do big? We can do big.” Jin sneered at the flagship, an expression of defiance returning to his face. He powered up again, light and energy exploding around him, and brought his hands together in front of him. Jin focused all of his ki into his palms, rapidly forming a dense sphere in front of him that grew as he fed more power into it.

        The flagship's cannon came into view, lowering itself from a hatch below the body of the ship. The barrel of the cannon glowed with energy, the stifling heat in the air intensifying as it prepared to fire. As he prepared for the attack, Jin looked back toward the city in time to see that there were still a great number of people within the projected blast radius of the flagship's cannon. Closing his eyes for just a moment, Jin briefly dwelt on the fact that this may be the last confrontation of his life before turning his attention back to the threat in front of him. Then the flagship fired. The sky lit up with a brilliant flash of red light. The ship's cannon loosed a beam of energy that spanned nearly the entire void left by the ships that had retreated to the edges of the fleet. Jin's eyes widened in fear, but quickly narrowed with determination as he fired his charged attack in response.

        “RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!”

        Jin's blast spanned a considerably smaller area than the beam from the flagship, but collided with it in a titanic clash that shook the earth below and crumbled the buildings surrounding them. The energy from both attacks twisted and churned in the air as they fought to push the other back. The effort of maintaining his blast caused every muscle in Jin's body to clench painfully, his face twisting with discomfort and focus. Flashes of electricity tore through the air as his attack struggled to advance against the force of the cannon. Despite his efforts, Jin felt his strength draining rapidly and he began to be pushed backward.

        “ _No...dammit!_ ” he thought to himself, “ _I can't push it back! It's too much!_ ” Jin turned his head again to look at the fleeing remnants of the city's inhabitants before turning his attention back to the beam struggle. He surmised that they were now far enough to avoid being caught in either of the blasts. Without someone to confirm it, he'd have to take this guess at his own word. Images of his mother and his friends flashed through his mind as he prepared for one last effort: damage control. “ _Boy, this was **not** what I had planned for today..._ ” He lamented, a sad smile creeping across his face, “ _Sorry, everybody..._ ”

        Jin released his hold on his attack, bursts of stray energy dispersing wildly into the air, and pulled his remaining power into his chest. With a final, defiant cry, Jin flung his arms wide and projected a sphere of ki around himself. The sudden outburst of energy from his body tore at his clothing and sent his hair into a frenzied tangle. The flagship's beam ripped through the remainder of his blast and collided with the sphere, halting for a split-second before violently slamming it and Jin into the ground below. A massive explosion of heat and light burst upward from the impact site, flinging debris and smoke in all directions and rocking West City on its foundation.

        As the smoke rose ominously and residual waves of heat rolled out from the crater left by the explosion, it became clear to both the invading forces and to the Earthlings who had witnessed the event first-hand that the young man who had tried to save the city...was dead.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        At a small shopping center just outside of South City, a young woman watched the unbelievable scene unfold on a street-side television set. She watched with wide eyes as a young man she instantly recognized flew from the crowd to fire some sort of energy at the ships that had appeared over West City. She watched as his final efforts played out in vain and he was struck down by the largest ship's beam weapon, disappearing in the ensuing explosion. The bag she had been holding slipped from her grasp, her hands rising to cover her mouth. She struggled to keep her cries from escaping and alerting those around her. Despite of her effort, those very people instead began to panic and loudly discuss if what they were seeing was real. The young woman took a few steps back from the television screens as her tears began to fall.

        While she cried, a tall figure clad in a flowing white robe and carrying a large walking stick appeared out of the crowd behind her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Surprised, she spun around to face the figure and her eyes widened in recognition. The robed figure leaned in and addressed her in a soft, authoritative tone:

        “Come, Sophia. We have to go.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        End of Chapter One


	2. "A Good Doctor/Dawn of the Fifth Day"

        Bernard, his brow furrowed in concentration, paced back and forth across the examination room. His nearly 6 foot frame was starkly accentuated against the dark walls by his crisp, white lab coat. The clipboard he held in his hand told him only what he had already learned: his newest patient, the one clinging to life and floating in a chamber filled with medical gel, was unlike anything he had ever encountered before.

        “His recovery is remarkable.” Bernard commented to his daughter, who sat on the opposite side of the room and continued to monitor the patient's vitals on a large computer screen. “I've never seen anything like it; it's completely ridiculous. It's like his body is...rewinding itself to a state of pre-injury.” He brushed a hand through his graying brown hair and sat down in his own seat near the patient. The 48-year-old doctor had been practicing medicine for nearly 20 years and had just taken on the strangest case of his life. His 18-year-old daughter, Alicia, assisted him by recording any and all information they could gather over the last few days of treating the patient.

        “Judging by what little information we got from the data-disk he was carrying, this is actually pretty typical of his species, even if it's on the extreme end of the scale.” Alicia motioned toward a small, circular object on the deck that was tethered to her computer via a series of cables and wires. A low humming noise emanated from its cracked and burnt metal casing. Alicia, brushing her own messy brown hair from her face, looked up from her notes to gaze across the room at the young man floating in the recovery chamber. Thick bandages covered the left side of his body and various patches and wires connected him to different monitors, constantly feeding his vitals to Alicia's computer.

        It had been five days since the attack on West City. On the day of that attack, a young man flew into the sky and fired bursts of light from his hands in order to protect the people of West City. In a seemingly final act of selflessness, he had sacrificed his life to an attack seemingly meant for the Earthlings.

        Or, so the world thought.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Running from the explosion in the heart of West City's Central Square, a man and his daughter moved toward the edge of the city. The man, a doctor named Bernard, suddenly felt a forceful tug on his arm that stopped him in his tracks. Turning his head, he saw that his daughter had stopped running and had grabbed his shirt sleeve insistently. The girl turned her head back toward the smoldering crater and wore a mixed expression of worry and uncertainty on her face.

        “Dad,” she choked out, “we have to go back.” Bernard stared at his daughter in shock.

        “What are you talking about?” He managed, practically sputtering the words through his panic.

        “We have to go back!” She repeated, turning back toward her father. “We have to help him!”

        “Alicia, he's gone! He has to be.” Bernard looked over her shoulder at the smoke and the ripples of heat rolling through the air in all directions. “Whatever that boy was, there's no way he could survive that. No one could.” Alicia released her grip on her father's arm and met his gaze, her blue eyes burning a hole through him.

        “Then, I'll go.” She declared. “Whoever he is, he tried to save us. If there's even a small chance that he's alive, that means he's hurt; and I'm not going to just let him die.” She turned back toward the explosion site and started to make her way back before tossing a final comment back to her stunned father: “Isn't that what we do, dad? Help people?” Without waiting for an answer, Alicia ran off toward the smoke, leaving her speechless father standing by himself, his jaw slack and his eyes wide in disbelief of his daughter's boldness. Astonished, Bernard moved to follow her lead.

        Alicia swung her shirt sleeve up to her face as she ran through the thick smoke. Her eyes stung and watered profusely as she tried desperately to find her way through. After a brief pause, she began to follow the heat, figuring that was her best shot at reaching the center of the explosion site. While she made her way deeper into the destruction, she was suddenly aware of another person moving near her: her father. Alicia felt her way to his side and grabbed his arm, causing him to jump slightly, but he relaxed upon realizing it was her. She pulled him in the direction of the heat and he complied, understanding her logic.

        “How close are we?” He coughed out through his own raised sleeve. He stumbled for a moment before regaining his footing and stopping abruptly, answering his own question: they had reached the crater. The smoke thinned out, having risen with the heat and been blown in several directions by the blast itself, allowing Bernard a fairly unobstructed view into the blast site. The ground sloped steeply downward at his feet, the concrete and earth charred and broken with areas still glowing red from the heat of the explosion. Large portions of pipe jutted out from the exposed ground, some spraying water into the open air, others emitting clouds of gas or dust. Melted remnants of nearby vehicles lay strewn about, some fused into the concrete below them, and some having been thrown violently from their original positions. Bernard could barely comprehend the destruction in front of him. He struggled to keep himself composed, an effort that garnered enough of his attention to distract him from the fact that Alicia had left his side to run directly into the crater ahead of him.

        “He's here!” He heard her cry, snapping him out of his shock-induced trance. “Oh my god! Dad! He's here!” Bernard looked down to see his daughter waving her arms at him. At her feet, a discolored mass pulsed and twitched, a sight which spurred Bernard's medical instincts into action.

        “My god.” He whispered to himself as he sprinted down the crater's edge and ran toward Alicia. He stopped beside her and quickly removed his jacket to free up his arms. He looked down at the boy, burnt and melted skin clinging to his frame, scraps of his clothing melded to his body, and his breath coming in rattled gasps.

        “Dad...”

        “Alicia!” Bernard barked, taking charge of the situation, “Go and get the truck! You remember where it's parked? Go!” The girl nodded and complied, pulling the keys from her pocket and sprinting off toward their original destination. Bernard watched to make sure she got up the edge of the crater and turned back toward the boy. Determining that he had to clear away the remainder of his clothing before it fused to his burns any further, Bernard pulled a first-responder's medical tool from his back pocket and flipped out the scissor portion. Placing his hand gently on the boy's right leg, he began cutting away the torn portions of his jeans. In response to the contact, the boy jerked away violently, nearly pulling Bernard over him as he did.

        “It's okay.” Bernard told the struggling boy, “It's alright, I'm going to help you. I'm a doctor, so please let me help you.” The boy's thrashing slowed and stopped, his rapid breathing returning to rattled gasps. His right eye, not swollen shut like his left, focused on Bernard's face. The boy appeared to study him for a moment before he drifted into unconsciousness. Bernard finished removing the boy's torn jeans and moved to cut away the remnants of his shirt. As he worked, he heard the approach of a vehicle and turned his head to see Alicia exiting their truck at the edge of the crater. She quickly made her way back down to her father, carrying a cloth stretcher.

        “Dad, here.” She said, laying out the stretcher beside Bernard and the boy. Having removed the rest of the boy's clothing that hadn't already melted to his flesh, Bernard carefully lifted his body onto the stretcher.

        “Okay, kiddo, let's do this.” He said to Alicia. The two of them took up positions at either end of the stretcher and lifted it using the metal handles. Bernard led them back to the crater's edge, taking care to prevent the boy from falling off the stretcher as they climbed. After maneuvering their way up, they arrived at the truck and loaded the boy into the back onto a bed of towels and blankets. Alicia rolled the stretcher up and stowed it in the back seat before hopping in herself to watch over the unconscious boy. Bernard made his way around to the driver's seat and got in. Starting the car, he took one last look at the destruction behind them and began their journey out of the city.

        “Dad,” Alicia breathed, “are we gonna be okay?” Bernard looked at his daughter's concerned face in his rear-view mirror and breathed heavily.

        “Yeah, kiddo, we're gonna be okay.” Alicia turned back to the boy, watching as his labored breathing continued and he made small groans of discomfort.

        “What is he, dad?” She nearly whispered, “He can't be human.” Her father simply muttered that he did not know and continued driving. After a few more moments of silence, he turned his head to glance back at his daughter briefly.

        “I guess it doesn't matter, now.” He replied, “He saved us, and now we're helping him.” Alicia smiled at her father's words.

        “Because, that's what we do?”

        “Yeah. That's what we do.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The boy had been in a medically-induced coma for five days, which was difficult to keep him in as his body burned through the drugs at an alarming rate. The wounds on the surface of his body had mostly healed, leaving reddened patches of new skin stretching across it. His broken bones and torn muscles had progressively knitted themselves back together, placing themselves into their natural alignments as they did. All of this had been carefully monitored and documented by Bernard and Alicia, who saw it all as a medical mystery, if not a miracle.

        Even so, most of the mystery had been explained to them days before when Alicia discovered a small memory device that contained specialized information on the boy's body and natural abilities. When connected to a computer, several video files became playable, all of which featured an imposing man giving lectures on the abilities and biology of the “Saiyan” race, including but not limited to: their heightened senses, superior physical abilities, and their innate ability to heal at an accelerated rate. Bernard and Alicia spent a considerable amount of time studying the data at length, eventually finding that other portions of it had become corrupted and unreadable, presumably due to the damage the device had suffered in the attack. The fact that it had survived at all was a miracle in itself, as it appeared that the boy's body had shielded most of the objects in his backpack from the explosion.

        The missing data was their greatest hurdle in documenting the boy's recovery, as his body seemed to be getting stronger as it healed, something which was not fully explained to them in any of the videos. Bernard checked over the information on his office tablet a few more times before sighing heavily and running his free hand through his hair. Alicia continued to write information down in her notepad as another video played on the computer screen in front of her. After a moment, she paused the playback and leaned back in her chair, pulling her legs up and hugging them to her chest. Glancing at her exasperated father, she smiled and shook her head in surrender.

        “It's amazing, really.” She said, motioning toward her screen, “It's like discovering a whole new world. Except half of it is still missing. We still don't know why he's getting stronger...if that's what's even happening.”

        “You **could** just ask.” A muffled, echoed voice replied from across the room.

        Alicia and Bernard shot out of their seats and whirled around to face the medical tank where the boy was still suspended in gel. The boy's eyes were now open, though visibly pained. He had spoken through his respirator's built-in microphone, his voice being transmitted through the tank's external speaker. Alicia ran to the tank, scrolling through the information displayed on the attached screen and reading his vitals.

        “Are you feeling okay? Are you in any pain?” She asked, still reading and glancing at him between questions. Inside the tank, the boy attempted to move his body, wincing and nodding in confirmation.

        “Yeah, pain. Lots of pain.” He answered, looking down at himself. “Is my arm broken?” He brought his left arm up, gently running his fingers across his other arm and the patches and wires connecting him to the screen outside. Bernard, still standing where he had landed after leaving his chair, was in wonder at the revelation that this young man had recovered almost completely from ordinarily mortal wounds and was even speaking and thinking clearly despite having just come out of a coma. Bernard struggled to find his voice before addressing him.

        “You've been out for almost five days.” He informed the boy as he made his way to the medical tank. The boy's eyes widened.

        “Five days? Oh, shit...” He replied. His gaze shifted between the man and the girl in front of him. “Are you...doctors?” He asked cautiously. Bernard nodded.

        “Yes. Or, at least I am; I'm Bernard. We pulled you out of that crater and brought you here...on the off-chance that you might survive.” He motioned toward Alicia, “This is my daughter. You can thank her; it was her idea.”

        “I'm Alicia.” She informed the young man, politely.

        “Jin.” He replied in reference to himself, “The guy who lost a fight with a spaceship.” They all chuckled a bit at that before Bernard moved to a nearby console and began typing away at it.

        “Alright, let's get you out of there.” He said. “The exit sequence will drain the gel surrounding you and stabilize your core temperature before it opens up. We've got some blankets and clothes for you, if you'd like.” Jin looked down again, noticing for the first time that the only thing covering him was a pair of loose, white boxer shorts. Embarrassed, he shifted himself, nervously.

        “Yeah, that'd be nice.” He muttered. The gel began to drain from around him, slowly lowering his body toward the floor of the tank. As his legs reached the floor, flashes of pain shot up both of Jin's legs. The remaining gel prevented him from collapsing immediately, but it was clear that he wasn't ready to stand or walk on his own, yet. Once the tank had drained, a rush of warm air filled the now-empty space, warming his body and bringing more feeling back into his extremities. Once warmed, the glass in front of him slid open, finally exposing him to the outside again.

        “I'll help you, hold on.” Bernard told him, rushing to his side and plucking patches off of his body. Alicia leaned in and carefully removed the respirator from his face, allowing him to breathe openly again. Still in a great deal of pain from the sudden stimulation to his waking nerves, Jin was helped up and walked over to a nearby cot where he was propped upright, cradling his right arm to his chest.

        “Thanks.” He breathed, “I'm not used to being so...useless.” Bernard gently examined his body while Alicia fetched a pile of clean blankets and a set of simple clothing.

        “Your arm isn't healed yet.” Bernard assessed, “And, despite undergoing a great deal of repair and strengthening, it looks like your body hasn't quite acclimated to the density of your new bones and muscles. You're going to be stiff for a while.” Jin attempted to move his legs, resulting in a brief but painful response.

        “It's been a while since my last zenkai.” He said. Bernard raised an eyebrow in confusion.

        “Zen...kai?” He asked. Jin nodded and motioned toward the desk where the data disk lay.

        “It's an old name for the healing process. Apparently nobody uses it anymore, but it's easier to just call it that. The disk should have told you all about it.” Bernard glanced over at the desk and shook his head.

        “I'm sorry. It was damaged in the attack. We barely got enough out of it to treat you.” Jin's posture sank a bit at hearing this, but he continued his explanation.

        “When Saiyans heal, our bodies strengthen themselves in proportion to the injury suffered. It's our bodies' way of resisting repeated injuries.” He raised and flexed his good arm, “The benefit, of course, is that we get stronger without really trying. Kinda cheating if you ask me, but it's a nice perk.” Bernard nodded as the information sank in. Alicia quickly wrote down everything as she listened. Jin pulled the nearest blanket over his shoulders and glanced around the room, taking in the various medical devices and the sounds of the electronics around him.

        “So...” he began, “what's happening out there?” Bernard stood and made his way back to his deck and computer, tapping a few keys. He appeared to read something before answering.

        “The aliens have control of the City. Their only real demand is that we completely surrender within the week.” Jin looked down for a moment and lifted his head to meet Bernard's gaze, a serious expression on his face.

        “The people?” He asked.

        “Evacuated.”

        “Casualties?”

        “In the low thousands. Civilian and military.”

        “.....I have to go.”

        “No, you don't.” Bernard said flatly. “You can't even walk, let alone fight, if that's what you're planning. Not that you'd stand much of a chance, considering what happened last time.” The sudden harshness of his words caused Jin to pause and look away in frustration.

        “I'm stronger, now.” He grumbled. “And I've been doing this my whole life.” Bernard made his way back to Jin's cot and stood over him, looking down his nose at the young man.

        “How well has that worked for you?” He asked, almost mockingly, “You almost died.” Jin turned his head and looked up into the doctor's eyes, his own gaze filled with anger at the sudden verbal attack. The two stared at one another for a quiet moment before Jin looked away again, his resolve broken.

        “We understand how you feel.” Alicia interrupted, attempting to break the tension, “but, they have an army. What could you do against that?”

        “More than you'd think.” Jin muttered. Bernard sighed heavily.

        “Well, it's not happening now. That's my point. Take a few days. Heal. Then, we can talk about what needs to be done.” Bernard gently placed a hand on Jin's shoulder. “From what I understand, you seem ready to go, despite how outgunned we Earthlings are. We can talk about all of that later, too. But, for now, you are my patient. So rest. Please.” Jin resigned himself, guilt over his anger creeping into his mind. Alicia moved toward him with a set of clothes in her arms.

        “Here.” She said, smiling, “Let me know if you need help with anything, okay?” Setting the clothes down beside him, Alicia made her way out of the room. Jin managed to slide on the simple cotton pants, finding them very comfortable. Seeing him struggle with his top, Bernard fished around in a desk drawer for a moment, pulling out a bracer of some sort and an arm sling.

        “This should help.” He said, locking the bracer in place and assisting him in pulling the injured arm through its sleeve. Jin took the sling from him, looping it around his neck and placing his arm into it. He immediately felt relief at not having to support the injured limb himself.

        “Thanks.” Jin flexed a few muscles experimentally and leaned back against the wall behind him. “And thank you for helping me. I know it must be weird, risking your life for a complete stranger, especially one who isn't human.” Bernard stood again and waved his hand dismissively.

        “You seem plenty human to me, kid. So, don't mention it. It's what we do here.” He removed his white coat and hung it up on a hook beside his desk. Stopping to shut down his computer, he made his way to the doorway leading from the room. “I'll have something made up for you to eat, if you're hungry. You're going to need it if you plan on playing hero again.”

        “That'd be great, thanks.” Jin replied, suddenly realizing how hungry he really was. Bernard nodded solemnly and left the room, leaving Jin alone with his thoughts. He sat, silently, and ran through what he could remember. He remembered flying toward the alien ships and firing blasts at them. He could still hear the screams and yells of the people below, and he could still smell the burning air around him as laser-fire passed by. He recalled feeling an immense ki that pressed down on him like a dead weight and how it had seemed to reach out to greet him.

        Adjusting himself, Jin lay down on the spacious cot and rested his head on the clean pillow. A sense of nervousness and dread began to creep into his thoughts. Were his friends and family safe? Had his master followed his instructions to relocate them if anything happened to him? Exactly how many people had died while he was unconscious? Was he even strong enough to take on the invading forces?

        Jin had always been confident in his power. He knew full-well that he was capable of decimating entire crowds of enemies single-handedly. Even their ships were no match for his ki blasts, save the apparent flagship. What worried him the most was the presence he had felt that day: a single being who possessed the strongest ki he had ever felt, similar in intensity to his own but far stronger; surely this individual was more powerful than the entire alien army combined. He was afraid. In this moment, Jin truly did not know if he was strong enough to face someone with that much power. Despite all his training, despite everything he had ever been taught, Jin wondered if it was going to be enough. Was his duty so important that he would die needlessly for it? Couldn't he just take his family and hid somewhere?

        As exhaustion began to set in, his ringing doubts gave way to his more sensible mind. He knew that he would never selfishly abandon the Earthlings to their fate. Even if his obligations prevented him from running, he still felt it was right to stand up for them. Even if it cost him his life....as it nearly had, already.

        “I have to be stronger.” He muttered to himself as his eyes grew heavy and his body settled. "Right now...more than ever.” His thoughts drifted as sleep took him. Doubt and uncertainty had begun to grow in his heart, clouding his previously established confidence. He wanted to help the humans, he wanted to fight for them, but even as he recovered he wasn't certain if he could. He had never felt this level of fear before, and it shook him to his core. Still, in his final conscious thoughts, he pictured himself victorious...hoping that it was enough to drive himself forward.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        End of Chapter Two


	3. "A Brief Reprieve/Getting To Know You"

        The sun had just begun to set, soft orange light spilling over the clouds surrounding The Lookout. A woman stood near the edge of the massive stone structure. Her long, brown hair hung around her face, knotted and disheveled from days of neglect. The expression on her face was one of worry, her normally bright hazel eyes were dim and reddened from crying.

        “Mary...” A deep, calm voice called from behind her, “you needn't spend your time out here, alone.” The woman turned toward the voice. Standing with his tall frame resting on a thick walking stick, was Kami. They had known one another since Mary was young; he had come to her after learning that she had found an alien child and taken it into her home. Her life had never been the same.

        “It's been five days, Kami.” She coldly replied. “I don't need everyone to see me crying for that many days in a row.” Kami sighed, his gaze falling on her tear-streaked face. He made his way to her side and placed a hand on Mary's arm.

        “We need to have faith.” He told her. He, himself, had lost count of how many times he had repeated that statement. Mary shifted her eyes up toward Kami's face. This man...this ancient, alien man had been a central and driving force in her life for so long, she almost found it difficult to allow her anger to direct itself toward him, but the stress of the last few days superseded the pedestal she had placed him on.

        “Five days!” She angrily repeated, tearing her arm away from his grasp. “I have had to stand here for five days and wonder if my son is still alive! Five days of not knowing! Five days of trying to hold myself together! I don't know how much more faith I can have, Kami! I don't!” The old Namekian turned away from her, gazing over the edge of The Lookout himself. The fading light cast soft shadows over his green skin, highlighting his sunken cheeks and wrinkled features. Mary noted, through her anger, that Kami had begun to look much older than she remembered, a thought that seemed almost ridiculous considering his actual age.

        “I know, Mary. I know.” He replied. “This was all my mistake, my miscalculation.” Mary kept her eyes locked on the old man.

        “You said he was ready.” She said, almost accusingly, “All these years, and he was going to be ready for anything, right? That's what all this has been for. Isn't that right?” Kami shook his head slowly, casting his eyes downward.

        “He has trained so hard, for so long...” He breathed, “I knew that he was ready for any threat, should one arise. But I only prepared him for threats of the domestic variety: monsters, demons, militant uprisings, natural disasters. I never once thought that any force beyond our world would dare seek to cause trouble here.” Mary clenched her fists at her sides in further frustration.

        “And what if they did? What were you going to do?” Kami looked back to her, his own emotions spilling over onto his normally stoic features.

        “I supposed he would do as I taught him.” He answered. “He would learn...and he would adapt. In all my time on this world, I have never met a more promising and worthy fighter; so gifted, so ever-changing. I have always been confident that, if met with more than he could handle, he would grow to face that challenge with even greater strength. It's there, in his heart; and it's in his blood.” Mary stood silent for a few more moments. She turned her head toward the living quarters of The Lookout, where her son's friends and their families were having dinner. The sounds of casual conversation and dinnerware in motion drifted out toward them as they conversed.

        “Because he's a Saiyan.” She muttered, making more of a statement than a reply. Again, the old man shook his head.

        “No.” He said. “Because he's your son.” Mary looked back to him, a slight look of surprise on her face. “I have lived for hundreds of years, and never have I met an Earthling who would dare stand face-to-face with me with such anger and conviction. No man would be so foolish as to face one, who is considered by many to be a God, with nothing less than respect and reverence.” A small smile crept onto Mary's face.

        “I am no man.” She replied with a chuckle. Kami faced her once more with a smile of his own.

        “Please, come join us for dinner.” He asked. “We still have three days, and I will continue searching for him in the morning.” Mary nodded, wiping the evidence of her tears from her face and fiddling with her messy hair.

        “I will.” She replied. “Tell me again why you haven't found him, yet. Please?” Kami looked out once more across the expanse of sky surrounding The Lookout.

        “When the body is injured,” he began, “one's ki also suffers greatly. Because of this, and because his survival almost guarantees severe injury, his energy has been drowned out by those of the other beings below. It can be nearly impossible to locate one out of millions this way. But, I am trying.” Mary nodded as she took in the information.

        “So, if he's alive...he's hurt. And that makes him hard to find.” She paused for a moment before nodding again. “I understand.” Kami place a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

        “He'll come.” He said in a confident tone. “If he doesn't...I will go, myself.” Mary looked again into Kami's ancient but kind eyes and leaned into him, embracing him like the old, familiar friend he was. Kami smiled again and returned her embrace.

        “He'll come back.” She agreed. She looked over her shoulder at the setting sun, now casting a mixture of orange and dark purples over the clouds.

 

        “Come back, baby.” She whispered. “Come back, Jin.”

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

        Jin woke sometime during the evening, made clear to him by the fading orange light and the murmur of crickets coming from beyond the treatment room's windows. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he focused on the table beside his cot and noticed a covered tray and a bottle of water neatly set on it.

        “That's right,” he muttered to himself, “Doc said something about dinner. I must've slept through it...” Pulling himself upright, he leaned over and uncovered the platter, revealing a large bowl of stew, two slices of bread, and a still-packaged fruit cup with a fork and spoon laid across the top of it. Jin grinned and dug right in, quickly spooning the lukewarm stew into his mouth, stopping every few spoonfuls to chew the meat and potatoes and take a bite of bread. He saved the fruit for last, wanting to spend the afterglow with the sweetness on his tongue. After finishing the first solid food he'd had in nearly a week, he reached for the bottle of water and drank it down, taking a satisfied final breath once he'd finally put the empty bottle back on the table.

        “Did you like it?” Alicia's voice came from the doorway. Jin jumped a bit at the surprise and looked over, embarrassed at having been watched eating.

        “Uh, yeah. It was really good, thanks.” He replied. Alicia smiled and made her way across the room to him, kneeling down and carefully taking his suspended right arm in her hands. He silently watched her as she felt her way up and down the limb, her fingers gently gliding across every muscle and pressing into every groove, retreating briefly when he showed signs of discomfort or pain.

        “Okay.” She said, standing up and easing the arm back into the sling, “It seems like the healing process has slowed a bit since you woke up, but things are still moving along quickly by normal standards. The soreness and stiffness should pass in a few hours at this rate, and you should have full mobility in about three days.” Jin smiled at her.

        “I'll cut you a deal for two.” He chuckled. Alice laughed and stepped over to the bedside table and began to collect the used dishes. Jin put out his hand to stop her.

        “Oh, hey, you don't have to do that.” He insisted. “I can take care of those, if you show me where to go. Really.” She met his eyes briefly and laughed again.

        “Okay, then. C'mon, I'll show you the kitchen.” Jin stood up and followed behind her as she carried the dishes out of the treatment room. Alicia led him down a hallway and turned right, the hallway opening up into a decently-sized kitchen filled with stainless steel appliances and large sinks. Alicia carried the dishes over to one of the sinks and turned back toward Jin, who was still taking in the sight of the impressive room, and motioned for him to join her at the sink. Jin walked over and stood beside her, helplessly looking around at the dishes.

        “Umm...” He muttered, obviously at a loss. Alicia laughed again and turned one of the faucets on.

        “Here,” she said, grabbing a nearby sponge, “I'll soap and scrub, you can rinse and put them on the rack over there.” She pointed to their right, “Dad'll be home soon, and if the dishes aren't done, he'll end up doing them himself.” Jin smiled at that. To him, Bernard seemed like the kind of man who quietly went about any menial task with an air of dignity and purpose. Picturing him doing dishes with such a serious look on his face elicited a sincere laugh from him.

        “Sounds good to me.” He replied, still smiling. “I think I can handle the gimpy work.” Jin wiggled his right arm jokingly, getting another laugh from the both of them. They set to work, Alicia scrubbing one plate or bowl after another and handing them to Jin who rinsed them thoroughly before placing them upright in the drying rack as efficiently as he could. They joked with one another and talked about Bernard's work as a doctor and his efforts to help the people affected by the alien invasion. Jin learned that he spent his evenings taking trips into affected areas to help people who were still fleeing the invading forces.

        After finishing the dishes and cleaning up after themselves, the pair headed out to the backyard behind the treatment center. Once again, Jin was amazed by the change in scenery. Outside of the relatively large one-level building that Alicia and her father lived in, stood a vast forest of trees and diverse plant life. A moderate wooden fence determined the width of their property, but was left open as it ran into the treeline. Scattered throughout the yard were several small gardens, some containing flowering plants that Jin couldn't identify, while others clearly grew vegetable of all kinds.

        “Wow.” Jin mused. “This is...really cool. You and your dad did all this?” Alicia nodded and grinned proudly, a slight blush forming over her pale cheeks.

        “Yeah! My dad and I grow all kinds of herbs and vegetables. Most of what we grow is donated to local food shelters, but we keep some to use, obviously. We also keep the fence open in case any sick or wounded animals wander in looking for food. Dad used to practice veterinary medicine, so he helps them, too.” Jin simply stared at the girl in genuine, wide-eyed wonder.

        “ _I've never actually met people like this. I didn't know that people could be so completely selfless._ ” He thought to himself. Alicia caught him staring and blushed harder upon realizing that she had been rambling.

        “I-I'm sorry.” She stammered. “I didn't mean to go on like that.” Jin shrugged and laughed at her nervousness.

        “Hey, it's fine. I think it's really cool; what you and your dad are doing here.” He looked around the open yard, now illuminated by the outdoor lighting and rope-lights strung around the individual gardens. Fireflies had started to blink in and out of sight across the yard and the sounds of nature drifted from beyond the trees. The distant lights of the city barely shone over the treetops, the halo of light broken up by pillars of smoke; the only reminder of the destruction that lay past the calming sight of the yard. Jin shook the thought from his mind and sat down on the edge of the small deck attached to the back of the house. Alicia joined him, leaning back on a support beam just opposite him.

        “So...” She started, “you're an alien.”

        “Yep.” Jin answered simply. Alicia just looked at him for a moment. To her, he seemed so normal, despite everything she'd seen in the last 5 days. He even looked human; nothing like the aliens that she'd seen since the invasion had started. It was hard for her to believe that his body was inherently several times stronger than an average human's and that he could heal from lethal injuries after only a few days. The flying and energy blasts she had seen were just the ridiculous cherry on top of the unbelievable cake.

        “Okay, then. So, tell me about it.” She continued. Jin looked at her, puzzled.

        “What? About being an alien?” Alicia nodded enthusiastically.

        “Yeah! I wanna know all about it. All about you.” She looked him in the eye, not breaking that contact until he sighed heavily in surrender.

        “You know, I could be stretching or exercising right now. There are bad guys I should be fighting.” Alicia shook her head.

        “Not with a bum arm and barely functioning legs.” She replied casually. Jin sighed again. He had to admit: her jabs at him were endearing and he felt like he owed her this, at least.

        “Well, okay.” He said. “But, I'll have to make you another deal. I don't really know a whole lot about 'being an alien'. I've spent my whole life just trying to fit in. So, if you want to know something more specific, you'll have to ask. I'll do my best to give you an answer...or I'll make something up, we'll see.” Alicia pondered this for a moment and then smiled.

        “Okay. I can live with that.” She replied. “First: how do you do all those cool things? Like flying, and shooting lasers. Tell me that!” Jin held out his left hand and focused. Gradually, an orb of pulsing light formed in the air above his palm, growing into a solid ball of energy that radiated a subtle amount of heat. Alicia's eyes grew wide with fascination.

        “This is ki.” Jin informed her. “It's a kind of energy that exists in all living things.” Alicia simply nodded while she listened. Jin decided to continue until she stopped him. “When someone taps into and combines their physical energy, mental focus, and emotional fortitude: they can generate this both inside and outside of their bodies. And, by training, you can make your ki even stronger.”

        “So, everything you can do is because of...ki?” Alicia asked.

        “Mostly.” Jin continued. “Once you can use ki, you can learn to feel it and move it around any way you want.” He waved his hand through the air, the ball of energy flowing alongside his palm as he did. “By moving it around and through your body, you can use it to do all kinds of things. By focusing and pushing it out from my hand, I can shoot it like a gun. By directing it through my body, sort of like...making it pull on the air in the direction I want to go, I can use it to fly.” Alicia nodded in understanding.

        “That...actually makes sense. In a weird way.” Jin nodded in affirmation.

        “And it's not just that, either. An active ki flow can make you naturally stronger, faster, and can even help you live longer. My master told me that there are hundreds of species out in the galaxy who can use ki naturally. It's actually kinda funny, because humans seem to be the only ones who can't.” Alicia slumped forward a bit at hearing this.

        “What? You mean we can't do any of that?” She asked.

        “Well, yes and no.” Jin explained, “Humans can't naturally use their ki, but they can still learn. If they do like I said and train their bodies, minds, and emotions, humans can draw out their ki and use it just like me. I know plenty of Earthlings who can do it.”

        “Really?” Alicia asked in wonder. “Who?” Jin held up his hand and counted to himself using his fingers.

        “A few I've met. Some I've only heard of. They're strong martial artists from all over the world, trained in the most traditional ways. They try not to publicize it, though. Some are like me; trained to fight for a reason. But, most only get learn and get stronger so they can fight each other. They hold tournaments where only powerful people and ki-users are allowed to compete.” Jin leaned back and looked toward the sky, remembering encounters from his past as he talked. “Yeah, they're impressive. But, Saiyans have a lot more than just that going for us. I guess it's just a biology thing.” Alicia cocked an eyebrow at him.

        “Lucky for you, right?” She mused sarcastically. Jin shrugged.

        “Hey, it wasn't my call.” He replied. “Besides, none of that really matters when the bad guys hit you with a big laser.” He paused for a second, flexing his left hand and arm thoughtfully. “I wonder if I could take that hit, now...” Alicia placed her hand on his arm, breaking his concentration.

        “I don't think we need an answer to that question. Not right now.” She said. Jin shrugged again, brushing his hair away from his face. “You said something about your 'master', right? What's that about?”

        “Oh, yeah. That's the old man.” Jin answered. “He's the one who taught me about the world and how to fight.”

        “So, he's strong like you?”

        “I mean, I guess.” Jin replied. “He is God, after all.” Alicia's jaw dropped.

        “W-What? Are you serious?” She stammered. Jin just smiled at her.

        “Well, some people think so.” He said with a laugh. “The people of the Land of Karin have treated him like a God for centuries. He's actually just the 'Guardian of the Earth'; he watches over everyone and everything.” Alicia was still dumbfounded by this.

        “The...'Guardian'? Then, what does that make you?” She asked. Jin grinned proudly in response.

        “I'm the 'Guardian Apprentice'. His student. I'm also the one who will eventually take his place.” Jin absentmindedly scratched his head. “Though, I'm not super stoked about that last part.” Alicia cocked her head at this.

        “Why not?” Jin's expression became more serious, his brow furrowing.

        “Being the Guardian means watching over the world. Forever.” He said, his voice becoming flat and cold. “The reason I was trained by him was to replace him. Because I was born strong.” An uncomfortable silence fell after Jin's statement. The sudden change in tone was noted and felt by the both of them. Jin looked out over the yard, now fully lit by the fireflies and rope-lights, the sun having set. The artificial lights were reflected in his dark eyes, appearing to dance like small flames. Alicia studied his expression carefully. It was the first time since Jin had argued with her father that she had seen his face look so devoid of...humanity. She realized, in that moment, that it was this side of him that truly set him apart from them: his anger. It filled the air around him, so densely that she could almost taste it. A tangible pressure hung about, pressing in on them as the silence lingered.  
  
        “Were you forced to be the Apprentice?” She asked quietly. Jin's expression softened slightly when he heard her speak.

        “Not really.” He answered in a thoughtful tone, “And it's not fair to think of it that way. It's not.” Jin's expression softened further and his body relaxed. The pressure surrounding the two also seemed to lift. “The old man trained me because he can't act on his own. There's something else keeping him from it. He knew that I was a Saiyan, and that I'd be stronger than any human he could train. He taught me everything about this world, and he trusted me to be a good person. Even when I acted out and pushed him away...he still trusted me with the lives of everyone on Earth. Sometimes, it feels like I was drafted; forced against my will. But, that was never the case.” Alicia saw him relax completely, a small smile creeping back onto his face and his eyes taking on a look of recollection.

        “Sometimes...” She interjected, “...our parents can make us feel like we're being forced or used, but there's a difference between it being abusive and being leading. Really all they want is for us to have good lives.” Jin glanced at her sideways. A gentle breeze blew her hair away from her face. She smiled honestly at him, her blue eyes reflecting the light from the yard. Familiar feelings of guilt over his anger cleared Jin's mind of the memories of resentment that he had held for most of his childhood, his adult mind reminding him of the deeper and finer points of his upbringing.

        “I know.” He smiled back at Alicia. “I spent the early years of my life hating the old man for taking away what I thought of as a normal childhood and putting so much responsibility on me. But, as I grew up and learned more about why I was there...I started to understand. My master loves this world. For years, he watched over humanity and felt every loss, experienced every tragedy alongside them. All without being able to stop it. When he found out about me, he saw the future. A world with a Guardian and a protector. Someone who would take care of the Earth the way he wished he could; someone who would do anything to protect it. As much as it seemed like he was projecting his own beliefs onto me, I'm sure I would've ended up that way without him. My mom, the woman who found me, wouldn't have raised me any differently. I was always gonna be  _this_ guy. And I kinda like being this guy.” Jin looked, again, to the sky. Save for drifting smoke, the sky was clear. The stars shone brightly despite the obvious tension presented by the invasion. Alicia leaned back against the support behind her and followed his gaze. The two sat in silence, both relaxed and thinking about their families. It didn't take long for them to succumb to the day's stress and the soothing breeze, as sleep quickly overtook them.

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

        Bernard had returned home to find Jin and Alicia asleep on the deck out back. After gently waking them and ushering them inside to sleep through the night, he retired to his own room. The doctor had spent his evening caring for a group of survivors just beyond West City's border. His night had been further complicated by the arrival of an injured alien soldier. After arguing with the staff at the emergency clinic, he'd treated the soldier himself. The man was grateful and expressed remorse at the actions of the other invaders. It was, altogether, a strange and enlightening experience.

        “What a night...” Bernard muttered as he dressed for bed. His back ached from the work he had done all night and his mind still raced from all he had seen. He stopped to examine himself in his bedroom mirror, noting his continually graying hair and the lines on his face. Regardless, he never once thought of slowing down or stopping what he was doing. His daughter had reignited a fire in him that had started to burn out long ago. Where he had once been a passionate and driven physician, he had gotten bored and doubtful of his ability to contribute to his community. The day of the invasion was the day that his desire to save people, to truly and selflessly perform his duties, was renewed. All thanks to his stubborn daughter and an alien boy.

        Bernard switched off his bedroom lights and slid into bed, content to surrender himself to the embrace of cotton and silk. He eagerly hoped that Jin's recovery would be complete within the next 24 hours so that he could document the extent of his development throughout the process; it would be a great addition to his logs. As he closed his eyes, he recalled the conversation with the alien soldier at the clinic and how the man had seemed so...normal. Just another injured person who needed help. He wondered if there were more of them who regretted their actions and who sought asylum from the army that had brought them to the Earth in the first place.

        His thoughts drifted aimlessly from that to his daughter and how peaceful she had looked, sleeping next to Jin in the yard.

        “ _She's a good kid. She's going to be just like her mother_ _._ ” He thought to himself. He chuckled quietly before finally slipping into unconsciousness.  
  
  


\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
End of Chapter Three


	4. "Visions of War/A Promise"

        “Another group of soldiers has deserted us, my Lord.” Zarbon informed his master. The Lieutenant's amber eyes searched the invasion leader's face for signs of a reaction. Tundra's tail twitched furiously, the only visible sign of his growing annoyance. In the last 72 hours, nearly 400 of his soldiers had defected or surrendered to the Earthlings. As traitorous as it was, it was a frequent occurrence during Tundra's reign as General of his father's forces.

        “There are always deserters, Zarbon.” He replied coldly. “It's hardly worth noting anymore. In fact, I welcome the rebellion; it will be a good opportunity to make an example of them when we take the planet.” Tundra's was well-aware that a great deal of his soldiers were drafted from worlds he had previously conquered. Though they served him, they did so out of fear rather than obligation, which often led to them running away at the first chance. In all reality, Tundra cared very little, as he considered all of his men to be disposable.

        “So, we turn a blind eye, then?” Zarbon inquired. Tundra waved his hand dismissively, leaning back in his seat.

        “I couldn't care less. I have better things to focus on.” He eyed the observation screens, now showing him various feeds from around the City. He watched as his men clashed with the Earth's military, and as the occasional Earthling succeeded in defeating his soldiers. It was entertaining for the tyrant, but it only served to kill time until his established deadline. The humans had 2 days to surrender peacefully or be forcefully enslaved. Of course, this was all just a formality. Tundra knew full-well that his army possessed superior weaponry and individual strength in comparison to the humans, and it was just a matter of giving the order. But he was waiting for something. Or rather: someone.

        The momentary feeling 6 days ago, when his fleet invaded this city, had stuck with Tundra. When Zarbon fired the flagship's main cannon at the problematic Earthling, Tundra had felt a pang of familiarity, but it had faded with the explosion. In the aftermath, the event didn't bother him. However, after a few days, he began to feel uneasy. Why did he feel like he'd felt that energy before? Had his initial assumption about the Earthling been wrong? The mere thought that he had accidentally stumbled upon a Saiyan excited him greatly. He found himself drifting in thought at times, losing his normally solid composure as his body shivered in barely-repressed anticipation.

        Zarbon left his master's chamber to resume his duties. Alone with his thoughts once more, Tundra allowed himself to relax. As he did, his ki bubbled to the surface, slowly forming a pulsing, violet aura around his seated form. The air in the room grew heavy and warm, brief sparks of electricity crackling through the air. Tundra chuckled to himself as he gripped the arms of his throne tightly.

        “It's been a while.” He mused. “Are you out there, Saiyan? I'm waiting for you.”

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

        Alicia rushed out the backdoor, past the yard, and through the treeline to a clearing just beyond. She had woke to find that Jin was not in his room and had left his sling on his cot. Immediately, her caregiver instincts kicked in and she raced frantically around the property until she found him. As she stood at the edge of the clearing, out of breath and red in the face, she flew into a verbal assault directed at Jin.

        “Listen here, alien boy!” She yelled. “When I get up, I expect you to be where I can find you so I can make sure-” Her rant was cut short by a flash of light that momentarily blinded her, followed by a tree crashing to the ground several yards in front of her. Blinking the stars from her eyes, she squinted through the cloud of dust and leaves kicked up by the impact. Jin stood there, a fiery aura of light surrounding his body. His shirt was tied around his waist, leaving his torso exposed. His body and face were streaked with dirt and sweat, obvious signs of his exertion. Spots of light shone through the treetops, reflecting off of him and highlighting the definition of his musculature. A few long, pale scars broke up the otherwise symmetrical cut of his back and chest. Alicia stood for a moment, her mind a blank as she observed him. After a few more silent moments, Jin turned around, having finally noticed her since she arrived in the clearing.

        “Oh, hey.” He greeted her, the light fading from around him. “Did I scare you? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to down that tree...” he trailed off when he saw the scowl on Alicia's face.

        “Get back to the house.” She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Jin didn't hear her clearly.

        “Huh?”

        “GET BACK TO THE HOUSE SO I CAN CHECK YOUR VITALS! RIGHT NOW!” She screamed.

        “Ah! Okay!” Jin replied, flinching at the sudden outburst and rushing off toward the backdoor. Once back in the treatment room, a fully-clothed Jin was met by a slightly calmed Alicia. She went about recording all of his vitals and checking over his previously injured arm. Pressing into the muscles and joints more forcibly than before, she found that all signs of injury and discomfort were gone.

        “See? I'm fine. I've been training all morning.” Jin assured her. She ignored him, entering her findings into the office tablet before focusing her attention back toward him.

        “Yeah, without checking with either of your doctors first.” She shot back. “What if you fractured your arm again?” Jin flexed the newly healed limb confidently.

        “Not really an issue.” He said. “The trees aren't really that rough on me.” Alicia was suddenly struck with a realization.

        “Oh, god...” She muttered. “The tree! Why did you do that?” She angrily demanded.

        “I didn't mean to!” Jin hurriedly replied. “I was using it as a post. I didn't meant to hit it that hard!” Alicia sighed heavily and hung her head. Jin slouched and hung his own in shame. “I'm sorry...” he said quietly.

        “Doesn't matter.” Alicia replied, standing and making her way to her father's desk. She hooked her tablet up to his computer and set it to copy her notes. “It's just one tree. And it didn't land on anything, so we're good.” She moved back to Jin's side and picked up the discarded sling form his cot, tossing it onto a nearby table. Jin breathed a sigh of relief at not having been yelled at again.

        “So, how do I look? Everything okay?” He asked her. She began gathering the used blankets from the cot, hardly paying attention to Jin at all.

        “Oh, yeah, you look fine.” She muttered. Jin raised an eyebrow, having barely heard her.

        “Hm? What?”

        “Huh? Nothing!” She stammered, collecting herself. “I said everything looks fine.” She blushed a bit, embarrassed by her absentminded slip-up. She finished setting Jin's blankets aside and turned back to him. “If you want, we can grab something to eat and you can work out some more.” Jin perked up at hearing that.

        “Sounds good to me!” He said excitedly. “I'm starving!” Alicia laughed and shook her head.

        “Okay, alien boy. We're going into town, then.”

        “Town? Isn't that dangerous?” He asked. As far as he knew, the city around them was in ruins and society had collapsed. Although, no one had really told him any different. Alicia waved her hand dismissively and laughed.

        “No, no. It's fine.” She assured him. “If we don't go near the 'border area', we'll be okay.” A look of concern crossed Jin's face.

        “What's the 'border area'?” Alicia looked Jin in the eye for a moment before averting her gaze toward the treatment room's window.

        “It's the area closest to the invasion site. The military is using it as a base, and most of the refugees are there getting aid. That's where Dad is, helping wherever he can.” Jin listened intently. He thought about the people still fleeing the alien forces and how the Earth's military was managing to hold their position despite how outmatched they must be. He pictured injured humans and aliens alike, feeling a pang of guilt at having been absent for nearly a week.

        “Hey,” he started, “can we go there, instead? Just for a little bit?” Alicia turned and faced him, looking surprised. She studied his expression, trying to determine what he was thinking before relaxing and sighing.

        “I guess.” She replied. “We can swing by my dad's area and grab something to eat on the way back.” Jin smiled at this.

        “Cool. Let's go, then!” He said. The two spent some time getting ready before heading out to the garage where Alicia's father apparently kept several vehicles for various uses. Along with their personal, family-sized SUV was a large van containing medical equipment and a smaller, 4-door sedan that looked rather new.

        “We actually have two of those vans.” Alicia said, noticing Jin's careful examination of each vehicle. “Dad took the newer one. It has all the good stuff.” Jin whistled his approval of the different cars.

        “Which one are we taking?” He asked, “The rough one, or the 'middle-class-family-of-three-mobile'?” He laughed and pointed at the sedan, which was relatively clean and painted a brilliant white. There was also a small bird decal on the rear window. Alicia huffed in annoyance at his joke.

        “Hey, that's  _my_  car, jerk.” She retorted. “And, if you must know, we're taking the truck. I'm not driving 'Tori' into that mess.” Jin laughed again.

        “'Tori'? You named your car?”

        “Yes, I named my car. Everyone does.” Alicia replied. “You can't tell me you didn't name your first car something stupid, right?” Jin stopped laughing and thought for a moment before replying.

        “Nope.” He answered simply. “Never had a car.” Alicia went slack with disbelief, her mouth hanging open in exaggerated shock.

        “What? How have you never had a car?!” Jin cocked an eyebrow almost mockingly.

        “I...can fly.” He said. Alicia scowled at him.

        “You're dumb. Let's go.” They got into the SUV, a stocky off-road type which was painted a dark red, and set out. As they drove, Jin felt a bit uneasy at being in the vehicle where the last memory of it was his near-death experience. He shook the feeling off when Alicia asked him about school and what he was doing in West City. Jin explained that he attended high school in another town and had only come to West City recently in an attempt to “be normal”. They discussed the desire to pursue their own goals and how important it was for young people to do so, even if they planned to eventually follow in their parents' footsteps. Talking about Jin's various failures in the "real" world caused them both to laugh and make more jokes about how normal people wouldn't do very well in  _his_  world, either.

        Before long, they both noticed that the normal sights of tall buildings and bustling streets were replaced with darkened windows and barren sidewalks. It seemed that everyone who could had fled the city, or had barricaded themselves quietly in their homes. As they neared the border area, the scene changed even more dramatically. Buildings were destroyed, collapsed and burnt. Debris littered the streets and small fires burned all over. People could be seen huddled together or moving in small groups in and out of various buildings, their clothes dirty and ragged. Large tents surrounded by military vehicles had been set up everywhere, with lines of people waiting nearby for either medical attention or some other kind of assistance. Smoke curled up into the sky, blocking out the sun and casting a dreary shadow across the entire scene. If they listened carefully, Jin and Alicia could hear distant sounds of gunfire and explosions.

        “This is terrible.” Jin muttered quietly, more to himself than to Alicia. His heart sank when she stopped the car in front of a large tent with a big red cross painted on the side. There were, at least, a few dozen people gathered near the tent, some clearly injured and others just looking lost. Jin noticed, upon closer inspection, that there were also non-humans present in the crowds. They were mostly humanoid, wearing either rags or portions of armor. Despite their obvious affiliation, they seemed to be a part of the refugees and were even interacting with a few of the humans. The thought of friendly aliens was new to Jin, who had assumed that they were all a threat. The revelation that there were non-Earthlings that clearly wanted and needed help from humans made him feel more uneasy than before. A thought crossed his mind as he took this all in: what kind of conditions were in place for these enemy soldiers to abandon their own army and seek refuge with the Earthlings?

        “C'mon.” Alicia said, breaking Jin's thoughtful trance. “Let's go see my dad.” Jin nodded and exited the truck, following her toward the tent. Jin pulled up the hood of the sweatshirt he'd been given by Alicia, covering his hair and obscuring the shape of his face with the hope of avoiding recognition. As they approached the tent, three soldiers stopped them.

        “Is there something we can help you with?” One of them asked, clearly following some sort of procedure. Alicia stepped toward him and held up her hands innocently.

        “My dad is a doctor here.” She explained calmly. “Doctor Lefox?” The soldier relaxed upon hearing the name.

        “The Doc? Yeah, he's here.” He replied, the other two soldiers relaxing as well and making their way back to their posts. “Follow me. Your friend, too.” He motioned toward Jin, who was still doing his best to remain inconspicuous. They were led into the tent, which held a surprising number of separate rooms, and toward the back where a large area was blocked off by a heavy, semi-transparent screen. As they neared, Bernard exited the area through a gap in the screen.

        “Dad!” Alicia called, waving to him to get his attention. The man looked up and smiled when he saw them. His face was streaked with dirt and dried blood, his messy hair barely contained by the surgeon cap on his head. His eyes were sunken and sad, but retained a glimmer that betrayed his alertness. He quickly removed the gloves he had been wearing, tossing them in a bio-hazard waste bin, and wiped his face with a nearby towel.

        “Hey.” He replied, hugging his daughter as she reached him. “What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here.” He said as he held her.

        “Jin asked if we could come.” She said, motioning behind her. Jin raised his hand in greeting. Bernard narrowed his eyes and studied the boy, easily surmising that he was nervously trying to hide his identity behind his baggy clothing.

        “Your idea, huh?” He asked. “What did you expect?” Jin looked around before meeting the doctor's gaze.

        “I just needed to see for myself.” He answered. Bernard nodded in affirmation and placed a hand on Jin's shoulder.

        “I understand. What do you think?” He asked. Jin looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of the injured and the air of hopelessness. He breathed deeply and collected his thoughts.

        “It's bad. Worse than I thought, even. I've prepared for things like this, but I've never experienced it; not even once. Monsters, spirits, demons...but I never imagined a war from space.” He explained. “I was trained to handle all sorts of situations. I learned about war, how to fight, how to...kill. And somehow, I'm still afraid that I won't be able to help these people.” They stood in silence for a moment, dwelling on the weight of their situation. As they did, a man approached them. He stood a head taller than Jin, with an athletic and muscular build. His long, black hair hung loose down his back and a cross-shaped scar adorned his cheek. He appeared badly injured, yet able to move. His right arm was in a cast and sling, while his left leg was also in a cast, forcing him to walk with a crutch. Bandages covered his torso, darkened slightly with blood from his bound wounds.

        “Um, excuse me.” He addressed them quietly. Jin and Alicia turned toward him. Jin was genuinely surprised at this man's presence. As he reached out with his senses, a reflex at this point in his life, Jin could feel a strong ki coming from him. It was light, but intense. It was perceivable to him like a rumble in his chest...like an animal growling. “Hey, I don't wanna bug you or anything, but you're...that guy, right? The one from the attack?” Jin's eyes widened in further surprise. Despite having only been visible for a few minutes during the invasion and trying to hide his identity even now, this man still recognized him.

        “Yeah. Yeah. I am.” He answered, keeping his voice low. “How did you know?” The man smiled and pointed to Jin's chest.

        “Your energy. I thought you looked familiar, so I did the smart thing and read your ki.” He explained. “I can't believe you're alive, man! You must be crazy tough!” Jin shrugged and motioned toward Bernard and Alicia.

        “Nope. Just lucky.” He replied. The doctor smiled at this and motioned for Alicia to follow him as he made his way to another part of the tent, leaving Jin and the man to speak privately.

        “Name's Yamcha.” The man introduced himself. “I was one of the first people fighting the aliens.” He laughed, but looked away with a sad look on his face. “At first, I thought I was making a difference...but I ended up making a mistake instead.” Jin studied him carefully. His body was certainly impressive for a human, honed from years of training, and his ki was hearty.

        “What happened out there?” Jin asked him. Yamcha sat down on a nearby crate, setting his crutch aside.

        “I heard about the invasion while I was training just outside the city. I called my master and he told me to stay put, but I didn't listen. I ended up in West City just as the army got there. The aliens were everywhere, man, so I just jumped in. They were strong, too; about as strong as me, but a lot were just sort of wimpy. I took out quite a few of them, but I lost my focus. Took a few hits from one of the big guys and that was that. Got hit with some blasts on the way out, too, but the army guys really came through for me. And I've been here ever since.” Yamcha smiled at Jin, still appearing somewhat sad.

        “I'm impressed.” Jin said. He meant it. It had been a few years since he met another martial artist like himself. Yamcha, although injured and beaten, appeared to be a confident and strong fighter with a great deal of potential. His ki was certainly among the most unique he had ever felt. “Who's your master?” He asked.

        “Muten Roshi. The Turtle Hermit.” Jin was surprised once again.

        “Really?” Jin laughed as he remembered meeting the old man. “I met him a long time ago! He trained me, too!” It was Yamcha's turn to be surprised.

        “No way! That's awesome!” He said excitedly. “How come I've never heard of you?”

        “Well, it was kind of a secret. He only trained me as a favor to Kami.” Jin explained. Yamcha's jaw dropped.

        “Wait...THE Kami? Like...GOD? The Guardian? Who are you, man?” Jin leaned in close, so as to avoid further attention.

        “I'm supposed to be the next Guardian.” This revelation nearly gave Yamcha a heart-attack. The two of them discussed their training under Roshi and what it was like for Jin to be the Guardian Apprentice. This conversation lasted for nearly 3 hours. Jin learned that Yamcha was once a criminal who would pretend to have car trouble so that people would pull over to help him. When they did, he'd rob them and get away. Eventually, he was caught and put in prison. After nearly 6 months, Yamcha caught the attention of the guards when he fought off an attack during mealtime. This incident was recorded and posted online by someone from the prison. Not long after, Yamcha received a visitor in the form of Muten Roshi. Roshi helped to get Yamcha out of prison on the condition that he submit to training under the old hermit. For the next 3 years, Yamcha worked to repay his master. He learned to harness his innate ki and even competed in the Tenkaichi Budokai, a tournament held by some of the world's strongest martial artists. Jin, himself, had competed in one such event when he was 15, where he was narrowly defeated by another fighter in the semi-finals.

        As night fell, the two said goodbye to one another. Jin met up with Alicia, who had been helping her father with a patient who had a collapsed lung. After stabilizing him, Bernard sent Alicia and Jin home. The two drove away from the grim scene in silence. Jin thought about everything he'd seen and learned, while Alicia dwelt on the experience of treating an alien soldier who had thanked her for her help and apologized for being a part of the invading army. Both of them carried a sense of purpose and responsibility they had previously not had. It took a while, but Alicia eventually broke the silence.

        “Are you okay?” She asked Jin, who was still looking out the window with a glossy-eyed look on his face. His hair blew wildly in the wind, as he had removed his hood. He looked at Alicia through the rear-view mirror, not turning his head.

        “Tomorrow.” He said simply. That single word held a finality that both of them could feel. It hung in the air like a ringing declaration. Jin let the silence hang for a few moments before continuing. “I'm going back tomorrow. All those people, Earthlings, aliens, everyone...they deserve peace. So I have to fight. I might even have to kill people. But it's war...and someone has to do something.” Alicia met his eyes in the reflection of the mirror and turned her attention back to the road. Jin gave a weak smile and continued gazing out the window. He felt as though a weight had been lifted from his chest; but also like a smaller one had taken its place. He had been forced to kill before, even fought against an army, but it never sat well with him. He understood the reality that, in the cases of war and good versus evil, there is often no choice. He could only hope that it would be worth it in the end.

 

        “ _Everything I've learned, everything I've prepared for...it's all come to this. I have to win._ ” He thought to himself. “ _Even if it kills me._ ”

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

        Kami smiled as he turned away from the edge of The Lookout. For the first time in nearly a week, his heart-rate slowed and his body relaxed. His Apprentice was alive; and he was stronger than ever! The old Namekian knew that a nearly insurmountable challenge was waiting for the young Saiyan below, but his belief remained the same: Jin would rise to the occasion and defend the Earth, as he was taught. Kami made his way past the living quarters and noted that everyone was sleeping peacefully, even Mary. He decided not to wake her and to save his discovery for tomorrow. Two days remained before Tundra would make his conquering move, but the determination and ferocity he felt emanating from his student's energy told him that tomorrow would be the day of confrontation.

        Kami reached his own room, resting on the edge of his bed and breathing a sigh of relief. As horrific as this ordeal had been for humanity, they would soon know that they were protected. He hoped this would bring about a new age for the Earth, one of understanding and expanding knowledge. The Earth now knew of other worlds, and mankind would undoubtedly reach out to the stars to learn even more about the universe around them. Hopefully, they would see Jin as a guide and a sign that there was good out there despite the evil that had befallen them.

        “I believe in you.” Kami praised his Apprentice aloud. “You will change the world. And it will change you. You will question yourself and define who you are by the choices you make and the people you meet. And when your darkest hours come, I know you will hold true to who you want to be.” The old man laid down and rested his exhausted body and mind. As he drifted off into a much deserved sleep, he uttered a final encouragement to his pupil far below:

 

        “Go further. Make your mark on the world.”  
  
  


\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

  
End of Chapter Four


End file.
